Servia, Greece

Servia (Greek: Σέρβια, romanized: Sérvia) is one of the main towns in the Kozani regional unit, West Macedonia, Greece.

The ancient name of the town of Servia is also mentioned by Roman writer Pliny the Elder as well as on an Ancient Greek inscription found at the city of Veroia which reads: "Παρμενίων Γλαυκία Φυλακήσιος νικητής εν Δολίχω" (Parmeníon Glafkía Phylakísios nikitís en Dolícho), i.e. "Parmenion son of Glauceas from Phylacae winner at Doliche".

Servia has given its name to the prehistoric settlement site beside the former bridge across the Haliakmon river to the west and now submerged deep below the surface of Lake Polyphytos.

This was first reported by Alan John Bayard Wace[7] and first excavated by the British School at Athens under the direction of Walter Abel Heurtley in 1930.

The site is a low mound created by the debris of successive phases of human occupation, starting in the Middle Neolithic period before 5000 BCE.

The square or rectangular buildings, one or two storeys in height, were framed with massive oak posts and the walls were created with wattle and daub.

Occupation continued for a thousand years until the early stages of the Late Neolithic period, characterised by black burnished and grey-on-grey pottery.

After a long interval, occupation resumed in the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC)when the ceramic repertoire suggests a cultural orientation towards Central Macedonia rather than Thessaly.

On the same day, 117 prominent citizens of Servia were gathered and executed by the Ottomans who were leaving the city, 75 to 90 severed human heads were lined up on either side of one of its streets.

It organises a wide range of cultural events and supports teaching classes for children and adults in painting, dance, choir, and chess.

The annual trade festival of Servia, locally known as emporopanígyri (εμποροπανήγυρη), peaks at the last weekend of September, attracting people from the wider region of Western Macedonia.

The town hall of the city of Servia.
Servia, WWI
The bridge of lake Polyphytos near Servia; the Pieria mountains can be seen in the background.
The church of Saint Kyriake , patron saint of the town of Servia.